The richest race in the world happens Saturday, February 24 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh: the $20 million Saudi Cup. The 1,800-meter (about 1 ⅛-mile) race drew an overflow field of older horses from all over the world. The middle distance means the race is always an intriguing mix of milers, classic-distance horses, and true middle-distance types, meaning it is one of the best betting races of the year.
The Saudi Cup is one of the newest races on the calendar, with only four runnings so far. However, horses from different countries have won each of the runnings. Winners of this race have come from the United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and Japan so far. The race drew another truly international field this year.
Keep reading to find out who is most likely to join the list of winners like Panthalassa and Mishriff, and to find out the best places to bet the Saudi Cup online!
Saudi Cup Online Betting
Before you get to know the field, you need to choose the best place to bet the Saudi Cup online. Betting at the right online sportsbook can help you maximize your profits both on this race and while you bet racing and sports all year long. Though there are many options, our expert reviews are here to help you make a confident and profitable decision quickly and easily.
All of our recommended sites have the basics: a great user experience, trusted deposits and payouts, and market-leading odds. Our review also will help you find the best online sports betting bonuses for your playing style. From sign-up and deposit bonuses to rebates that pay you for every wager you make, taking a few minutes now to learn your options will help you build your bankroll by hundreds or even thousands of dollars!
These are the best sites for betting the Saudi Cup online:
Saudi Cup Field
This is the official field for the 2024 Saudi Cup in wagering number order, with trainers, jockeys, and post draws. Note that betting numbers in Saudi Arabia are different than post positions, so posts are noted separately.
- Carmel Road (Abdullah Albadah/Camillo Ospina) - post position 14
- Crown Pride (Koichi Shintani/Joao Moreira) - post position 6
- Defunded (Abdulaziz Mishref/Luis Saez) - post position 9
- Derma Sotogake (Hidetaka Otonashi/Christophe Lemaire) - post position 13
- Hoist the Gold (Dallas Stewart/John Velazquez) - post position 8
- Isolate (Doug Watson/Joel Rosario) - post position 2
- Lemon Pop (Hiroyasu Tanaka/Ryusei Sakai) - post position 3
- Meisho Hario (Inao Okada/Suguru Hamanaka) - NON-RUNNER
- National Treasure (Bob Baffert/Flavien Prat) - post position 7
- Power in Numbers (Ahmed Mohamoud/Adel Alfouraidi) - post position 10
- Saudi Crown (Brad Cox/Florent Geroux) - post position 5
- Senor Buscador (Todd Fincher/Junior Alvarado) - post position 4
- Ushba Tesoro (Noboru Takagi/Yuga Kawada) - post position 11
- White Abarrio (Richard Dutrow/Irad Ortiz, Jr.) - post position 1
- Scotland Yard (Mutaeb Almulawah) - post position 12
Scotland Yard was originally an also-eligible, but has drawn into the field with the Thursday defection of Meisho Hario.
With such a big field, this race will be one of the best betting opportunities of the year. You can make the most of it by betting the race at an online sportsbook. If you play the race at a track, the price will change all the way until post time. However, if you bet through an online sportsbook, you can lock in the best odds on major races at the moment you bet!
These are the Saudi Cup odds at the top of the market:
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Abarrio | +250 | +250 | +250 |
| Lemon Pop | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Derma Sotogake | +575 | +575 | +575 |
| National Treasure | +650 | +650 | +650 |
| Ushba Tesoro | +700 | +700 | +700 |
Click here for more 2024 Saudi Cup odds.
Saudi Cup Handicapping
With your betting account all set upt, it’s time for the most fun part of all. Read on to learn who has the best chance to excel in this $20 million horse race!
Saudi Cup Win Contenders
Ushba Tesoro is the best bet for the Saudi Cup. Based in Japan, he proved he can ship and run well when he won the Dubai World Cup in 2023. The pace flow also suits him perfectly: he is an off-pace type who can run a winning race from virtually anywhere the pace. And, with a pace that will likely be hotly contested between the likes of National Treasure, Saudi Crown, Hoist the Gold, and more, Ushba Tesoro should get everything he needs to run on late.
Long shot Senor Buscador should also get an excellent pace setup in the Saudi Cup. This consistent American horse almost caught National Treasure in the Pegasus World Cup. The nine-furlong distance is perfect for him, and with more speed likely to wear down National Treasure in the Saudi Cup than in that race at Gulfstream, Senor Buscador can turn the tables.
Lemon Pop, based in Japan, will be more forward than either Ushba Tesoro or Senor Buscador. However, he has a tactical gear that should keep him out of the worst of the pace battle. He showed last out that he can stretch out to this trip against good horses, and if he holds that form after the ship he should be the horse they have to catch late in the lane.
Saudi Cup Exotic Wagering
White Abarrio, the likely favorite, will be near the pace battle, which raises a concern. However, he may be able to lay just off the worst of the fight, giving him a chance to keep running to the end. The distance suits him well, he has been pointed to this spot since soon after the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and he tends to run well off a layoff.
There is usually a Saudi-based long shot who runs well in this race, and Power In Numbers looks like the horse who can do that this year. Though he was not facing top-class horses in the American phase of his career, he has picked up steam in five Saudi starts. He has won his last four outings over the local course, and he should be able to settle and rally into the hot pace up front.
Free Saudi Cup Picks
You’ve met the field and you have your online betting account all set up. Now it’s time for the best part of all: placing your bet on the race! These are your free expert picks for the 2024 Saudi Cup:
- $20 to win - #13 Ushba Tesoro
- $10 each-way - #12 Senor Buscador
- $1 exacta key - #13 Ushba Tesoro with #7 Lemon Pop, #12 Senor Buscador
- $0.50 trifecta key - #13 Ushba Tesoro with #7 Lemon Pop, #10 Power in Numbers, #12 Senor Buscador, #14 White Abarrio
- $0.20 superfecta key - #13 Ushba Tesoro with #7 Lemon Pop, #10 Power in Numbers, #12 Senor Buscador, #14 White Abarrio
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